The sun’s out and the tennis season is well and truly upon us!

For the avid tennis-players among us, it’s the ideal time of year – until the tennis elbow kicks in that is. Luckily, there’s a solution, and we spoke to David Hastie, Managing Director of ionocore, to find out what it is.

Tell us about what ionocore does!

We make compression supports for people with injuries and active lifestyles. Whether a sore knee from too much running; tennis elbow from sport or sitting at a keyboard for too long; or an ankle injury from a labour-intensive job, all ionocore products are durable, comfortable and slim enough to wear under normal clothing.

What we sell is the peace of mind, be it as a preventative measure or for pain-relief and recovery.

Many of our products also contain copper ions in the material to potentially aid circulation, healing and recovery whilst being naturally anti-bacterial and temperature regulating.

Why did you decide to start the business?

ionocore was born through a combination of severe tennis elbow pain and frustration with existing joint support products which were (supposedly) designed to help.

Suffering from tennis elbow back in 2016 and with physio and massage failing to help, my doctor suggested a compression elbow brace. However, as a keen tennis player, existing products were either too bulky, restricting my movement on court, or simply ineffective in providing the support and compression I needed.

I’d heard fellow players talking of compression copper sleeves whilst others discussed injections but that was most definitely a last resort! I tried various products but either the quality or the fit just wasn’t there for me. So I decided to make my own.

Can you tell us a bit more about copper compression wear – how can it help in pain relief and support?

Compression wear has been proven to increase blood and lymphatic flow to the specified area and therefore improve performance and shorten recovery time in both athletes and workout warriors when used post-exercise. So, it’s no surprise that these attributes also have huge benefits for people suffering from injuries, repetitive strain, labour-intensive jobs and following surgery.

All ionocore products are slim line and anti-slip too meaning they can be worn discretely below normal clothing whilst also giving great support.

So why did we enhance our sleeves with copper?
Copper is an essential mineral necessary for survival and although we gain the majority of it through our diet, we can also absorb small amounts through the skin. Most of the copper in our bodies is found in the liver, brain, heart, kidneys and skeletal muscle.

It also helps with the formation of collagen, increases the absorption of iron and plays a role in energy production. Many now believe that copper worn on the outside of the body can have beneficial effects too, as many of our customers tell us on a weekly basis.

“In one study of 240 people with rheumatoid arthritis, those wearing copper bracelets had a statistically significant improvement compared with those wearing a placebo.”

Although the mechanism is not yet fully understood, more and more people are reporting positive health benefits of wearing copper. All ionocore sleeves contain 88% copper nylon material. With around 43% of people in the UK experiencing chronic pain (lasting 3 months or more) in a 2016 study involving almost 140,000 UK adults, and over 18% of adults in England affected by osteoarthritis in their knees alone, the need for pain management around the joints has never been higher. With active lifestyles, labour-intensive jobs and sporting injuries on the rise, we all want peace of mind that sore joints won’t impact our quality of life.

As a keen tennis player, runner and entrepreneur myself who featured on the latest series of Dragons Den, I decided to turn this one product that helped me into a range of products in various sizes for knees, elbows and ankles for everyone in the same boat.

All our products provide lightweight joint support and compression for recovery, pain relief and peace of mind. On top of that, I’ve instilled the same values of quality and excellence into my team when it comes to a great customer experience.

Why did you choose The Accountancy Partnership?

When searching for an accountant, my requirements were very basic so I was entirely price-driven for the cheapest accountant available. The Accountancy Partnership (TAP) appealed to me due to their simple pricing structure and “menu” of add-ons, and most importantly at the time, they were a fraction of the cost of some larger firms.

From the moment I engaged a year ago to now, I have no regrets. Immediately after signing up I was emailed a guide telling me my next steps and what TAP needed from me to get started. This was followed by a call with my dedicated accountant Harriet who is one of the most professional and competent accountants I have ever had the pleasure of dealing with – welcoming, straight talking, efficient and extremely knowledgeable.

Would you recommend The Accountancy Partnership?

I would indeed. As our requirements have increased and become more complex going forward, I will happily be staying with TAP as I truly feel the value for money. I also trust they will be with us as we scale the business over the years to come so have no hesitation in recommending their services.

What do you have planned for Ionocore in the future?

Having just completed the financial year, the next 12 months will see us scale across Europe and also move more into bricks and mortar stores to diversify from being primarily online.
Additionally, we will be launching 4 new products including a tennis racket designed specifically for players suffering from tennis elbow to allow them to play without fear of making their elbow pain worse.